These Berkshire Piglets will be raised by students and farming families in Mitchell, Avery and Yancey counties. The program includes equipment, fencing and technical assistance.

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Special to the Citizen-Times

The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina recently approved eight grants to support regional projects in the three focus areas of food and farming, early childhood development and preserving natural and cultural resources.

The foundation's funding priorities were identified in 2011 to enable the Foundation to work strategically in these areas. People in need grants, awarded in November, are competitive; other focus area grants are made proactively and reflect staff outreach and collaboration with the region's nonprofits to identify funding opportunities.